


Neutrality

by SaraJaye



Category: Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Angst, Damn it Lysandre, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Introspection, Post-Game(s), Self-Blame, The danger of loving genocidal maniacs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-22
Updated: 2014-04-22
Packaged: 2018-01-20 08:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1503833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because of his feelings for one man and loyalty to five trainers, he chose to remain neutral. Even now, he's not sure which side he would have taken.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neutrality

He walks down the city streets as the sun sets, eyes focused ahead and his hand in one pocket. It's been a month, two weeks and three days since Team Flare was defeated and disbanded, Serena's probably already on her way to the Pokemon League with Calem one step behind her as always. He's seen a few of the old grunts here and there, moaning about how they had to get _real_ jobs now.

Lysandre's still nowhere to be found, and rumors of his fate change every day. By now he's learned to ignore silly gossip, none of these people were _there_ when the weapon backfired and caved in, they couldn't possibly know.

_Then again, you weren't there either, Augustine._ And he sighs, knowing the voice in his head is right. He hadn't been there, he'd been hiding in Couriway Town because he'd been too afraid to take sides. _Lysandre was wrong, but..._

His feelings for Lysandre, his loyalty to the five trainers. He'd tried and failed to convince Lysandre to back down and abandon his plans, so he was left with a choice: denounce his oldest and dearest friend or betray the trust of five trainers who admired him. He'd helped the five from a distance, refusing to touch the situation and it had possibly cost him Lysandre anyway.

_Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took neither. Even now, I wonder which would have made more of a difference._ Choose the man he treasured and give himself to evil. Choose his students and lose Lysandre's friendship.

_But do I even deserve it? A true friend would have been able to stop him before he unleashed the weapon. We always claimed to understand each other so well, but if this was true why didn't he listen? Was it his own madness, or my own weakness?_

He catches a glimpse of the red cafe and his throat tightens at the memory of wild hair and a dangerous smile, _a passionate person, just like a blazing flame._ But all flames burn out eventually. 

The street lamps light up, the last traces of sun disappear into the night sky and Augustine turns around, heading back down the boulevard. It's cloudy and cold, but he walks the long distance back to his lab anyway.

He hopes it rains.

**Author's Note:**

> The "two roads" bit is a variation of the world-famous "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.


End file.
